Yellow
by Alyss Ashworth
Summary: “I still can’t believe it though,” Ash mused, seemingly more to himself than to her. “Believe what?” Misty asked him, letting her eyes close. “You. You’ve changed a lot.” Misty bristled defensively. “That better be a compliment Ash Ketchum." AAML


**Anyone reading this who isn't doesn't normal read my stuff: Skip the long author's note below this because it's basically just going to be me pleading with my readers not to kill me by coming up with stupid excuses. All you have to know is that this was a pokeshipping oneshot inspired by the song Yellow by Coldplay.**

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**To My Dear Readers,**

**Long time no update, no? DON'T KILL ME!! *Cowers in fear*...I know there's no excuse for not updating, but I have this chronic disease called procrastinationitus, and it's EXTREMELY painful. And counterproductive. And has been known to keep authors from updating....Anyway's I've got it pretty bad. I've also managed to contract tonsofworkpneumonia, which doesn't work well at all with my ****procrastinationitus. Added to my illnesses is the fact that I've just rediscovered my love of drawing, so now whenever I want to take a break and be creative I'm stuck between _two_ options (The choice, my friends, is not an easy one to make...) And ****now here comes the real kicker: I FINALLY update, but it's a rinky-dink little oneshot I wrote in like 45 minutes!! *facepalm* I could have updated For Yuuki, or worked on my sequel to Wanted, or any one of the six ideas I have in my head, but NOOOOO. The song Yellow by Coldplay just HAD to come on and then I just HAD to write something! I think it's due to the fact that I haven't been able to write for a while. All that fluff build up is not good for you O_O **

******Back to grovelling--I give you this pokeshipping oneshot, my lovely readers, and beg you not to kill me just yet. I swear more pokemon and FMA stories will be forth coming as soon as I can snap myself out of this funk. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, or simply read my stories so far. You are all special, and I hope all of your wildest dreams come true :)**

******Sincerely,**

******Alyss**

_And now on to the actual story! Raise your hand if you skipped all of that nonsense. *Looks around and sees that everyone has raised their hand* Good. I would have too._

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. *tear* The song Yellow and two of it's lines I put in my story belong to Coldplay.

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Yellow

"Wow Misty, you and politoed really kicked butt today!"

"Come on Ash, stop exaggerating." Good thing it was dark, he wouldn't be able to see her blush. "That hiker was clearly at a disadvantage since he was using a golem. I would have thought such an experienced trainer would know better than to use a rock and ground type pokemon against a water one."

"So the guy was overconfident about his gigantic pet rock, it was still a tough battle. Stop acting so modest," Ash poked her side. "What happened to you? The Misty I know would still be gloating that she had been able to beat a trainer that _I _couldn't."

Misty sniffed and shifted her body so that he couldn't poke her again, though the tingles running up and down her spine told her she wouldn't mind if he did. "It's called humility Ash, and you get it when you grow up. I wouldn't expect you to understand," she told him loftily.

"That's my Mist," he laughed, smiling at her. Misty flushed once more at his words, but luckily the teen had turned from her and instead gazed at the stars above them.

They were silent for a while, each consumed with his and her own thoughts. Misty lazily trailed her fingers through the grass. She had missed being able to lay outside under the stars like this. She felt so much freer out here than she did inside the gym. The ground was soft and the breeze cool, a quintessential night. Misty sighed softly, content to rest here in the comforting presence of her best friend.

"I still can't believe it though," Ash mused, seemingly more to himself than to her.

"Believe what?" Misty asked him, letting her eyes close. _Believe I would come back? Believe that we would still argue like we used to? Believe that after all this time apart, it's like no time's passed at all?_

"You," he told her simply. "You've changed a lot."

Misty bristled defensively. "That better be a compliment Ash Ketchum," she warned, her tone carrying a thinly veiled threat.

"It is, don't worry," he assured her. "You've gotten a lot better is all."

"Oh. Is that all." She deflated slightly and tried not to sound put out.

"I suppose you've gotten taller too," Ash added as an afterthought. "And you look kinda...older."

"Wow, I wonder why that is?" Misty drawled sarcastically.

"Shut up," Ash said good-naturedly, poking her again. (She was right, she didn't mind it at all).

The two lapsed back into silence after that short exchange. Misty was trying to figure how far she should read into Ash's comment about her looking older when she realized what exactly he had said before that.

"What do you mean I've gotten better?" She turned on her side to look at him. Misty could just make out the scratch on his cheek that he had gotten earlier that day. She had _told _him not to go chasing after that linoone, but did he listen? Of course not. Stupid kid wasn't paying attention to where he was going and tripped over one of the numerous tree roots. Really....how old was he again? Five or fifteen? It had only been one day since she'd returned, and already Misty was doubting whether Ash had gained any maturity over the past couple of years.

"I can't believe I didn't see it before, but you're a really great battler Mist!" Ash's voice brought her back to the present, and Misty refocused in time to see Ash give her that winning smile. "I mean, I've seen battle in one or two of the tournaments that were broadcasted on tv, but I didn't notice until I saw you battle in person how _good _you've gotten."

Misty laughed, feeling rather embarrassed, and tried to wave away his compliment. "Really Ash, I _have _to be good; I'm a gym leader. I can't let my skills get rusty just because I'm sitting around the gym all day!"

"Come on Mist, you're better than any ol' gym leader," Ash contradicted her. "I've heard that you've become one of the best in Kanto. Cerulean City and your sisters must be really proud."

Misty was quiet, unsure of how she should handle such praise. Yes, she knew she was good, and yes, she had been told repeatedly that Cerulean Gym had quickly climbed the ranks to become one of the top gyms in Kanto all thanks to her effort. But that was the people of Cerulean and the reporters telling her that; this was _Ash_ telling her how great she was! All the time she had traveled with him, the emphasis had always been on how well _he _battled and how many trainers _he _defeated. Misty had flourished into a skilled battler and water pokemon expert in her time as a gym leader.

"But you were always a good trainer," Ash commented softly. "You always gave me advice and helped me coach my pokemon. You were just as good as I was, but I never noticed..."

"Don't blame yourself," Misty said just as quietly, hearing the undercurrent of guilty in his voice. "You were concentrated on your own goals, and sometimes even _that_ was too much for your poor brain."

"Thanks," Ash said dryly, shooting her a glare. "But I still feel bad that I can't be there support you like you've supported me."

Misty smiled and stretched an arm up to the sky, pointing her finger at the dark abyss that loomed above them. "But you are Ash. See the stars? They remind me of you," she explained, "and all the times we've laid like this, looking up at them. So don't worry." She let her arm drop back to her side. "Because no matter where I am, you're always with me."

Ash tilted his head back, looking up curiously at the bright pinpricks of light. He studied them for a minute, mouth quirked to the side as he contemplated them. The boy must have liked what he saw because after a moment he scooted closer to Misty and poked her cheek.

"Ash, I swear the next time you do that I'm going to bite your finger off," Misty growled at him. _Way to ruin a nice moment..._ "What?"

"Look at the stars," he told her simply.

Misty stared at them, wondering what she should be looking for. "I see them Ash. They're really pretty tonight, huh?" She ventured, guessing that was what he was referring to.

"Yeah, but did you notice how brightly they're shining?" Ash smiled at her, his own eyes seeming to glow with some inner light.

"Mmm, they're really bright."

"They're shining for you," his soft hair brushed her cheek, "and all the things you do. So when you see them, know that I am too."

Misty's breath caught in her throat. She kept her eyes focused on the stars, but they were quickly becoming blurry. Blurry, yellow dots that colored the sky.

It took the girl a moment to get her heart under control again. When Misty was able to think straight, she noticed that her hand had somehow slipped into Ash's. She left it there, and laughed as a tingly warmth traveled up her arm from where their palms connected.

"Ash, I do believe that was almost poetic," she teased him, squeezing his hand gently.

"Really?" Her heart almost stopped when she felt him squeeze back. "Eww. You're supposed to be the mushy-romantic one."

Misty scoffed and rolled her eyes, slightly disheartened. "Thanks Prince Charming," she said with a hint of cynicism**. **She began to pull her hand back, thinking rather dejectedly that maybe he still wasn't ready, and he was still the same old Ash.

Misty was stopped by a firm grip, one her fingers had no chance of escaping. "Wait," Ash said. "The stars are still shining."

A small smile flicked across Misty's face. She tilted her head to let it rest against Ash's, letting his warmth flow over her.

"They're always shining stupid."

"I know. That's the point."

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_Not gonna lie. My favorite part of the whole thing is the last two lines._

_Happy Halloween everyone!  
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